Year 2021 đđ
Nano Diamond Battery wants to bring its ânuclear-powered batteriesâ to the market within five years.
Category: nuclear energy – Page 50
Combining nuclear and solar tech could make a powerful pair
In energy policy debates, nuclear energy and renewable energy technologies are sometimes viewed as competitors.
In reality, they could be better, together.
At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Ben Lindley, an assistant professor of engineering physics and an expert on nuclear reactors, and Mike Wagner, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering and a solar energy expert, are studying the feasibility and benefits of such a coupling.
A Self-Replicating Radiation-Shield for Human Deep-Space Exploration: Radiotrophic Fungi can Attenuate Ionizing Radiation aboard the International Space Station
The greatest hazard for humans on deep-space exploration missions is radiation. To protect astronauts venturing out beyond Earthâs protective magnetosphere and sustain a permanent presence on Moon and/or Mars, advanced passive radiation protection is highly sought after. Due to the complex nature of space radiation, there is likely no one-size-fits-all solution to this problem, which is further aggravated by up-mass restrictions. In search of innovative radiation-shields, biotechnology holds unique advantages such as suitability for in-situ resource utilization (ISRU), self-regeneration, and adaptability. Certain fungi thrive in high-radiation environments on Earth, such as the contamination radius of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Analogous to photosynthesis, these organisms appear to perform radiosynthesis, using pigments known as melanin to convert gamma-radiation into chemical energy. It is hypothesized that these organisms can be employed as a radiation shield to protect other lifeforms. Here, growth of Cladosporium sphaerospermum and its capability to attenuate ionizing radiation, was studied aboard the International Space Station (ISS) over a time of 30 days, as an analog to habitation on the surface of Mars. At full maturity, radiation beneath a â 1.7 mm thick lawn of the melanized radiotrophic fungus (180° protection radius) was 2.17±0.35% lower as compared to the negative control. Estimations based on linear attenuation coefficients indicated that a ~ 21 cm thick layer of this fungus could largely negate the annual dose-equivalent of the radiation environment on the surface of Mars, whereas only ~ 9 cm would be required with an equimolar mixture of melanin and Martian regolith. Compatible with ISRU, such composites are promising as a means to increase radiation shielding while reducing overall up-mass, as is compulsory for future Mars-missions.
The authors have declared no competing interest.
This Breakthrough Fusion Technique May Be The Future Of Energy
Fusion energy is basically just smashing things together to make energy. Grossly oversimplified? Yes, but still accurate. First Light Fusion in the UK has a unique approach to fusion energy that takes that âsmashing things togetherâ to another level. I had a chance to see their facility first hand and talk to them about their current progress, as well as whatâs to come at their new demonstrator plant. Are privately funded companies, like First Light Fusion, the path towards our fusion energy future?
This is the second video in my âUK nuclear tour.â In my first video, I visited the UK Atomic Energy Authorityâs (UKAEA) Culham Science Center, which is the hub of the UK governmentâs fusion research. Thatâs where you find the JET and MAST-U tokamaks, but whatâs interesting is that the UKAEA isnât just about publicly funded research. Theyâre also working with private companies, like First Light Fusion, to offer support to accelerate all kinds of approaches towards fusion energy. First Light just recently announced that theyâre building Machine 4 at the Culham Science Center, but Iâll get to more on that in a bit.1
First deployment outside Russia since fall of the USSR
Vladimir Putin confirmed Russia has sent nuclear arms to its ally Belarus, which borders Ukraine. Putin has repeatedly warned that Russia, which has more nuclear weapons than any other country, will use all means to defend itself. Russia has a huge numerical superiority over the united states and the nato military alliance when it comes to tactical nuclear weapons. The united states believe Russia has around 2,000 such working tactical warheads. Reports say, the united states has around 200 tactical nuclear weapons, half of which are at bases in Europe. Remember, Belarus has borders with 3 nato members â Poland, Lithuania & Latvia. The treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, signed by the soviet union, says no nuclear power can transfer nuclear weapons or tech to a non-nuclear power.
Renewables surpass new nuclear reactor in capacity growth: Utility-scale solar and wind outpace Vogtle-3 in Q1 of 2023
Based upon a review by the SUN DAY Campaign of data recently released by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), utility-scale solar and wind have apparently each added more new electrical generating capacity during the first four months of 2023 than the new Vogtle-3 nuclear reactor that just came on-line after nearly 14 years of construction and major cost overruns.
FERC had earlier reported in its monthly âEnergy Infrastructure Updateâ report for December 2022 that installed U.S. utility-scale solar generating capacity had reached 80,400 megawatts (MW) by the end of last year.
However, in its most recent report, with data through April 30, 2023, FERC cites 85,790-MW of installed solar generating capacity⊠and that does not include new small-scale distributed PV systems. Meanwhile, FERC listed 143,280-MW of installed wind generating capacity at the end of 2022 but, four months later, that figure had been increased to 146,900-MW.
A simple solution for nuclear matter in two dimensions
Understanding the behavior of nuclear matterâincluding the quarks and gluons that make up the protons and neutrons of atomic nucleiâis extremely complicated. This is particularly true in our world, which is three dimensional. Mathematical techniques from condensed matter physics that consider interactions in just one spatial dimension (plus time) greatly simplify the challenge.
Using this two-dimensional approach, scientists solved the complex equations that describe how low-energy excitations ripple through a system of dense nuclear matter. This work indicates that the center of neutron stars, where such dense nuclear matter exists in nature, may be described by an unexpected form.
Being able to understand the quark interactions in two dimensions opens a new window into understanding neutron stars, the densest form of matter in the universe. The approach could help advance the current âgolden ageâ for studying these exotic stars. This surge in research success was triggered by recent discoveries of gravitational waves and electromagnetic emissions in the cosmos.
Oppenheimer â with Robert J. Sawyer
Science Fiction author Robert J. Sawyer talks about Oppenheimer and about his Alternate History book: The Oppenheimer Alternative.
Where to find âThe Oppenheimer Alternativeâ book?
Robert J. Sawyerâs website: https://sfwriter.com.
* Trinity moment â AI vs. Nuclear.
* âNow I am become death, the destroyer of worldsâ
* The Jewish connection to the Manhattan project and the Nazi nuclear program.
* Nuking Japan.
* Oppenheimer personality.
* Nuclear as a Double Edge Sword. Existential risk of a nuclear Holocaust.
* Thermonuclear â the rivalry with Edward Teller.
* Alternate History â the end of the world by 2030
* Military driven science vs. science driven by scientists.
* Nuclear energy in space.
* The Orion project â Nuclear Impales propulsion.
* Controversy of Wernher von Braun.
* Role of science fiction.
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Interstellar Cyclers
A new kind of starship.
The huge distances between Earth and the nearest star make it necessary for us to conceive of extremely high-velocity starships if interstellar travel is to be possible with durations less than a human lifetime. In practise this means accelerating the starship to some percent of lightspeed. The problem with doing this, of course, is that truly phenomenal amounts of power are required to boost a ship to such velocities.[1]
Various propulsion schemes have been proposed, from nuclear fusion to antimatter to laser sails. Until recently, laser sailing seemed like the most economical and easiest way, even though it still requires that we build lasers that draw more power than all of human civilization is now capable of producing. [Authorâs note: since I first wrote this a method has been proposed that could amplify a laser launcherâs power by factors of tens of thousands. So I guess laser launch is back on the table.].
